Lately, the infamous Tea Party has taken the mass media by storm. Despite this recent mobilization against long-awaited “liberal” reforms, we can’t help but remember how grassroots movements organized coalitions to paint red states blue and elect Barack Obama. Is it possible to remobilize progressive discontent and organize a party that crosses race, class, and labor lines to get progressive politicians elected?
Jon Liss, Executive Director of Tenants and Workers United, joins us in the studio to describe organizing in Virginia –primarily how to recycle coalition-forming tactics that made history by turning a red state blue during the last election.
Part of the solution is for various progressive groups to set aside egos and work for a common cause.
But right now, I don’t see that happening.
In the battle for airtime, frankly many people are jealous when one person seems to get a lot. What happened to Cindy Sheehan? She didn’t ask for all of the attention she got. She was a concerned mom who lost her son and wanted answers.
What happened next? The MSM hype machine kicked in. And then other progressive groups went after her. Who the hell are you to call yourself “THE Spokesperson for the Left”? She didn’t ask for this abuse. And understandable then stopped her activism. Now though, she’s back. And, like a lot of people, she has these tools:
her own website and podcasts
videoclips and Twitter channel
her own LLC (to coordinate all of her activities)
Right now, it’s still every person for themselves. At various times, I’ve approached many progresisve groups about organizing protests and other activism. And nobody ever responded. If that happens to one person, is it such a huge shock that there are so many dissolutioned people out there? I mean, this isn’t rocket science.
Set aside the egos. Otherwise, it’ll never work.
By Tom on July 25th, 2010 at 1:38 pm